Barcelona miss out on £7m payment after Everton's deadline day shambles
The Toffees desperately attempted to strengthen their attack as the hours ticked down to Tuesday's 11pm deadline.
Jack Grealish returned on loan from Manchester City, but no further deals could be struck to offset the exits of Iliman Ndiaye and Beto.
Morroco international attacker Abde was an option and Everton are believed to have made an offer, but they failed to get a deal done.
The 24-year-old instead remained at Real Betis, whom he joined from Barca three years ago.
It has now emerged the Catalans were watching developments with a close eye.
How much did Everton offer for Abde Ezzalzouli?
Everton had a £36.8million bid rejected for Abde on deadline day, according to one report.
That is a mammoth amount, but it ultimately was not enough as Betis wanted more.
As per Thursday's print edition of Mundo Deportivo, Betis wanted £51.6m to part ways with Abde, so a deal was not even close.
The report points out that Barca own 20 per cent of the rights to any sale for Abde, so they would have landed around £7m had Everton coughed up for the talented attacker.
However, as shambolic as Everton's final-day business was, they cannot be blamed for not offering the full amount for Abde.
Here's what Everton could have won in Abde
That said, you have to wonder if Everton would have bowed to Betis' demands had they known what would transpire later that day.
The Toffees made a rather comical late effort to sign Joshua Zirkzee from Manchester United after Folarin Balogun's proposed move fell through.
With the funds raised through Beto and Ndiaye's exits, Abde would have at least given supporters something to get excited about.
He scored 10 goals and assisted eight more in 29 LaLiga appearances last season - and this while not at an elite club.
It was not to be, though, and Everton fans are now left to wonder what could have been.